Rant about Westwood Target!

[ewesterman]

Okay, so I am a couple of weeks out of surgery and a friend buys me two pairs of pj’s at Target– 25 bucks each. They are the same pj’s but two different sizes since I am stuck in bed and can’t go in to try them on. She buys other stuff and I pay her for the two pairs. We decide she can keep the receipt as she paid with her credit card and we figure they will give me a gift card for the exchange. The pj’s are untouched. They are in their same pristine condition and it is obvious they were purchased at the Westwood Target. Do I have a receipt, they ask. Nope. I explain the situation. Just got through surgery … friend purchased…she kept receipt. I gave her money, blah, blah, blah, may I just exchange? Nope. I am a regular customer. I ask for the next level up. May I exchange? Nope. Do I need to drive to Mercer Island to get the receipt? Yes.

Do you get it that I will never do this again? Do you get it that I am a regular customer? Do you get it that all I want is to make an exchange? Nope. Sorry. Can’t do anything about it. The manager is Brian, but he can’t give me his last name. Anyway, I left the $25 pj’s with them and told them they just lost a customer.

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[Lisa]

We had a similiar experience at Westwood Target: My 15yo daughter bought a hair straightening iron, less than $25.00. Came home, plugged it in, defective. It displayed a defective error code in the LED console on the handle. We drive back to Target looking for a replacement, not a refund, but since my 15yo lost the receipt, No Way. No refund, no exchange, no if, ands, or buts. We had all the packaging, instructions, etc. But no flexibility from Target. They sold us a defective product and they were doing nothing. $25 down the drain, which is a lot of money, especially for a teenager. Really nasty rules on exchanges/refunds. Tough lesson for my daughter. We’ll think twice before we spend our money at Target in the future.

PS – We called the Mfg and explained our story. They sent us a new straightening iron…no return of the defective iron, no questions asked! That renewed my faith in big business!

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[Jerald]

A month or so ago I overheard a similar exchange at the Target return desk, They finally allowed the customer to return the item without a receipt, but said their rules allowed this only once a year per person. I hadn’t heard that version before.

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[ToddinWestwood]

YOu have to understand that the WEstwood Target is a target (ha) of lots of shoplifting and scams where people take stuff back they stole for cash or they find receipts in the parking lot, then go back and find whatever item in the store and “return it” for cash. Sucks, but they have to be on their toes.

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[Aim]

I had the exact same thing happen about a month ago with a bra. I bought the wrong size and simply wanted to exchange it for the exact. same. bra. in a size up. No dice. After MUCH discussion they told me they’d give me a store credit for the bra MINUS 25% “restocking fee” (I had bought it the day before, it had not gone on sale, etc etc – they were just charging me a fee.) I asked “So you are expecting me to take $12 back for this one, and then turn around and buy the exact. same. bra. for $16? They said yes. I told them they had just lost a customer. Too bad for them, because we regularly used to drop hundreds of dollars a month in there. We also have a target card, which should have given us a bit of leeway as it does in other stores, but no. Absolutely no bending the rules to save a customer. They handed me a comment card and told me if I didn’t like it, to write their corporate office.

In essence they gave me the finger. I walked out and while I still have to buy some things there, I will check everywhere else first. Funny thing is, Fred Meyer down in Burien just earned the business that Target lost, with their friendly and helpful staff. They have better prices on most things, too.

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[WSB]

Without commenting on the other aspects here I can verify the shoplifting. Every time we’ve been to the precinct to review reports, there’d be at least one. And usually gobs of stuff. Often caught, but still, wow.

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[TJ]

Unfortunately it’s the price we have to pay for the rest of the dishonest people out there. Just like we pay more on credit card interest rates because of the amount of personal bankruptcies . . . I do not fault Target at all, they have to draw the line somewhere, and stick to it, and the manager has to follow the directives he’s given. I really like the Westwood Target, the value for the money, and have always gotten great service there. I’ve never had a problem returning something, but I’ve either had a receipt or purchased it on my debit card, which they have a record of. Please think about the other side — (of management, big business, etc.) They need to make a profit and pay their employees. AND Target gives a lot of cash to our community through their charitable programs. When I’m purchasing something for someone, I’ve requested a gift receipt, even “after the fact” and it is no problem, therefore no problem for the recepient.

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[Anonymous]

Todd is right. I don’t understand being mad at the store for a universally known policy. I’m sorry for your frustration and disappointment, but we’re all regular customers and no one is an exception to the rules. Target has always treated me well and I’d like them to stay in business so I hope you reconsider the boycott.

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[Aim]

For me, personally, it was not the policy that was the problem. I was willing to go home and find the receipt, or return later with my partner, on whose card the purchase was made. However, that option ended when the employees were downright rude in the way they treated me. It wasn’t the obvious issue at hand, but rather being made to feel as if they were accusing me of having stolen the item.

They turned me from a customer who truly had no problem with the policy (though I didn’t realize one couldn’t make a direct exchange without a receipt, as it’s pretty standard everywhere to be able to do so) Once they told me of the policy I asked for an exception, very nicely. I told them they could look up my info in their system and see that I don’t ever return things, with or without a receipt. However, the situation changed when both employees were incredibly rude to me. I’d rather take my business somewhere that I am given the information about the policy without being treated like a criminal.

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[Bonnie]

Well, I’ve never had a problem with Target personally with exchanges but I have heard similar complaints. So sorry you had problems.

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[inactive]

I think Todd’s got it right….that store has to be on it’s toes 24/7. A few bad apples, etc., but still it is a drag to be on the short end of the customer service aspect.

But, I also wanted to make note of what I saw in Target after the Big Wind Storm when folks around here had been without power, heat, etc. for days.

I walked into the store which was still without power and in the dark, operating off of generators. They had pallet upon pallet of bottles of water for people to take. As much as they needed, for free. And, batteries too, as I vaguely recall.

So, not all good, but not all bad either.

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[PSPS]

While the small amount involved may not warrant it, you said it was paid for with a credit card so you can simply reverse the charge by sending a letter to the card issuer.

.

I’ve had trouble in the past like this where a merchant tried to weasel out of taking something back. But I’ve always prevailed this way.

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[Bikefor1]

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/fun/retail.asp?date=20080504

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[JoB]

loved the comic…

not sure it applies here though..

perhaps the trap door on this one should have been on the other side of the counter:)

i think policies should be better posted since they change..

i know Target’s has.

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[Bikefor1]

You’re not sure if it applies here? Did you notice how nobody took the store’s side? I -know- there are forum members who work/ed retail. I’m sure they can share plenty about how jerky customers can be.

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[Aim]

BikeFor1: I worked retail many, many years. I am often the first to point out how jerky customers can be. For precisely this reason I go out of my way to not be that jerky customer. I’m always kind, polite, and respectful. However, having worked retail I also know that sometimes the policy just doesn’t make sense in a particular situation, and when that is the case, it’s the “right thing to do” for the manager on duty to waive the policy. In the case of someone who simply wants to exchange an item, it’s SOP in most stores to simply allow store credit.

I didn’t take the store’s “side” in this one, because I was not even CLOSE to being out of line, but the employees were being rude and condescending in return.

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[WSMom]

Eight years ago I purchased a package of Target brand daipers which were defective. I was not allowed to exchange them straight across for another package because I didn’t have a receipt with me. I was furious and stopped shopping there for a while. Lately I’ve been sucked back into shopping at Target, this thread reminds me to go to Bartell’s!

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[JoB]

JoB hangs her head…

i was there today.

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[barmargia]

okay, a little off topic…WSMom, how are diapers defective? Not judging, just curious.

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[JoB]

barmargia..

i can’t answer for those diapers..

but disposables and tape can make for a very defective combination… or lack of a plastic coating… or cuts on slits in the plastic.. or…

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[WSMom]

The tape was attached to the middle of the diaper or was missing altogether. They were unusable. I used Target store brand diapers because they were cheaper than name brand and usually they worked just fine. After that I went with Safeway brand.

I wouldn’t have been as annoyed if I weren’t trying to exchange a Target Branded product. I understand about receipts and shoplifting yada yada yada. But where else could you buy defective Target brand diapers but at Target!!!

Plus, the manager was a smug. So I gave him the out of diapers mom curse, “someday, in the middle of the night, you will find you’re out of clean diapers, and when you get into your car and race through the rain to the store, you’ll discover your wallet is on the kitchen table”. I actually said that to the twerp.

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[jbd]

I have had similar experiences at Target. It is so frustrating! This is why I shop at Costco. They always return stuff with or without a receipt. I have never had an issue.

Just a note though I think they have tightened up their policy on computer returns. I think it is 6 months no questions asked.

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[Anonymous]

At Costco you can return with out a receipt because your membership card is a link to your purchases and they can verify.

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[JoB]

i have taken to asking about return policies before i buy…

and i keep all receipts in a box in my office so they are easy to find.

if i decide to return something.. i immediately tape the receipt to it… that way i have it when i get around to taking it back…

and i don’t buy where i can’t return things… unless i am absolutely sure it is what i want and is without any defects…

i return a lot.. not just because it has defects.. but more often because i buy something i think might solve a problem and it doesn’t work in the space or do the job i needed.

Those things i didn’t keep in the original packaging or waited to long to return will be at the garage sale saturday.. along with the clothing that i thought might work for me and didn’t:(

There is far too much of that.

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[barmargia]

Thanks JoB and WSMom that makes sense now

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